Foldable curtain



June 1931- c. H. NORDELL ET AL 1,310,847

FOLDABLE CURTAIN Filed Aug. 25, 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 mya jwraxmmmcmrxamrmm:

Minn June 16, 1931. c. H. NORDELL ET AL 1,810,847

FOLDABLE CURTAIN Filed Aug. 23, 1928 4 Sheets-$heet 3 (fill/672E713 ar;H [Ybrde zg Page? 'Mr Q9 1am y M J 1931- c. H. NORDELL ET AL 1,810,847

FOLDABLE CURTAIN Filed Aug. 25, 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 105' (Jill/62%)"541% H M11156? Z fade! 6. (frZa' 2" {'31 MMV W Patented June 16, 1931UNITED STATES PATENT" OFFICE CARL H. NORDELL AND PEDER E. EBLINDER, OFCHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNORS TO FOLDING PRODUCTS CORPORATION, OFCHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS FOLDAJBLE CURTAINApplication filed August 23, 1928. Serial No. 801,528.

The present invention relates to foldable curtains, and is particularlyconcerned with the provision of foldable curtains adapted to be used asclosures or as partitions for separating a room into two or more smallerrooms.

The invention is of particular importance for use in hotels,auditoriums, funeral parlors, broadcasting studios, apartments,salesrooms, or the like, where it is frequently desirable to divide alarge room into smaller ones for the purpose of accommodating a smallerassemblage of people without utihaing the whole room space, or whenever1t is desired to provide an ornamental curtain or partition, which isreadily folded into a very small space, and which also has soundabsorbing and insulating qualities.

One of the objects of the invention is the provision of a'soundprooffoldable. curtain,

having an ornamental exterior layer without any visible securingdevices, and which may be readily removed for the substitution ofanother covering when it is desired to change the decorative scheme.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a foldable curtain,which is provided with a novel mode of support for the foldable envelopecovering the same, whereby the curtain tends to fold along predeterminedlines of flexure.

Another object is to provide a mode of support for the foldable envelopewithout the use of exterior attaching devices which detract from theappearance of the curtain.

Another object is the provision of a novel guide for foldable curtainsof the'class described, which cannot be forced together by the swellingof the flooring to pinch the sliders used upon the curtain, and which iscapable of being adapted to curved curtains or curtains of any shapewithout necessitating special machinery or dies.

Another object is the rovision of a novel foldable curtain assem lywhich may be folded at either side of a room or opening, and which maybe moved into folded or ex tended position and secured with a minimum ofeffort.

Another object is the provision of a sound insulating and soundabsorbing curtain adapted to separate a large room into smallersoundproof chambers, and which may be covered with an ornamental layerof fabric, such as velour, tapestry, leather, imitation leather, orother material used for upholstering and draping, thereby eliminatingthe unsightly and bulky folding doors used in the prior art.

Another object is the provision of a foldable curtain having a flexibleenvelope, which is fireproof, and which is, therefore, capable ofsatisfying the legal requirements regard ing fireproofing wherever thecurtains are to be used.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from thefollowing description and from the accompanying drawings, in whichsimilar characters of reference indicate similar parts throughout theseveral views.

Referring to the drawings, of which there are four sheets,

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of one embodiment of the foldingcurtain, with the exterior covering broken away to show the mechanism;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1 looking inthe direction of the arrows; Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on theline 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view through the latching mechanism taken 'on theline 4--4 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1, looking inthe direction of the arrows;

Fig. 6 is a sectional viewtaken 66 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 7 is an elevational view of one of the extensible members;

Fig. 8 is a sectional view of thesame taken from the top;

Fig. 9 is a detailed sectional view of one of the pivot points of theextensible frame taken on the line 9-9 of Fig. 7

Fig. 10 is a similar view taken on the line 1010 of Fig. 7.

Referring to Fig. 1, 20 indicates in its ontirety one embodiment of thefoldable ouron the line tain, which is shown in conjunction with upperand lower guides 21 and 22 respectively and side walls 23 and 24 of aroom or door opening.

The foldable curtain 20 comprises an extensible frame work 25 adapted tobe supported and uided by the guides 21 and 22, and a flexib e, foldablecovering or envelope for said framework 25, which may consist of one ormore layers 26, 27, and 28, of flexible material, to be described indetail hereinafter.

In the present embodiment the weight of the curtain is supportedby meansof the upper guide 21 and the lower guide 22 acts merely as a guide andas a means for securing the curtain in extended or folded position. We"desire it to be understood, however, that these functions may bereversed if desired. by reversing the structure carried by the curtainfor performing the functions of support and guidance.

The upper guide 21 preferably consists of a channeled sheet metalmember, which is supported flush with the surface of the ceiling 29 bymeans of a plurality of screws 30, or other convenient fastening means.The channeled member 21 may be substantially rectangular in crosssection having an upper flange 31, two side flanges 32 and 33 atsubstantially right angles to the upper flange 31, and in wardly turnedbottom flanges 34 and 35 substantially parallel to said top flange butrelatively narrow in their width, leaving an elongated slot 36 adaptedto receive a guide rod 37 carried by the curtain.

The lower guide 22 is preferably of sub stantially the shape shown inFig. 2, and this uide is peculiarly adapted to withstand'the forcesexerted upon it due to the swelling of the flooring 38; thereby,preventing the 1 pinching of the guides within the slot 39. In

order to accomplish this result, the lower guide 22 is preferably formedof a relatively thick bar of steel stock, the slot 39 being formed byordinary cutting machinery and the opposite upper corners of the barbeing cut away as at 40 by the same method, leaving attaching flanges41. The attaching flanges 41 are provided with appropriate apertures 42,whereby the guide 22 may be secured to the joists or. lower flooringby'means of screws 43, and the guide 22 may thus be arranged flush withthe upper surface of the flooring 38. The guides 21 and 22 arepreferably constructed of brass, or-steel treated to withstand corrosionby means of plating the exterior of the guides. The lower guide 22 isalso provided at each end with a pair of latching recesses 44 and .45for securing the curtain in extended or folded position, as will bedescribed in greater detail hereinafter.

The extensible framework 25 preferably consists of at least twouniformly extensible members indicated in their entirety at 46 and 47.The extensible members 46 and 47 are joined at their ends to end framemembers 48 and 49, and they are also pivotally secured at intermediatepoints to a plurality of stiles 50, 51, 52, etc. Any number of stilesand extensible members may be employed in order to make the curtain ofthe required size.

Referring to Fig, 7, one-of the extensible members 46 is here shown indetail tpgether with portions of the end frame members 48 and 49, and apair of stiles 50 and 52. The end frame members 48 and 49 are eachprovided with right angle brackets 53 and 54 riveted thereto andprovided with apertures 55 for receiving rivets 56. The end framemembers 48 and 49 comprise substantially U- shaped metal channels,preferably arranged with their flanges turned toward the inside of thedoor, the brackets 53 being secured between said flanges.

The extensible members 46 and 47 may consist of a plurality of parallellinks, pivotally secured together at their ends and mid-points, and aseach of these extensible members may be identical in constructiomthedescription of one of them will suflice for both.

The extensible member 47 may thus consist of the parallel links 57, 58,59 and 60 extending in the same direction, and the parallel links 61,62, 63 and 64 extending transversely to the-aforementioned links. Eachof these links is secured to one link at each end and to another link atits mid-point. That is to say, the link 57 is pivotally secured to theend frame member 48 at the bracket 54 and at its opposite end it ispivotally secured to the lower end of the link 62 and to a slider 66.The upper end of the link 62 is pivotally secured to the upper end ofthe link 59 and to the stile 51, and the lower end of the link 59 ispivotally secured to the lower end of the link 64 and to a slider 67.

The upper end of the link 64 is pivotally secured to the bracket 53carried by the end frame member 49. The links 60 and 61 are half thelength of the remaining links extending as they do from the mid-point ofthe links to which they are attached to their lower ends. Thus the link47 is pivotally attached to the mid-point of the link 57, and at itsupper end it is pivotally attached to the link 58 and to the stile 50.The link 58 is pivotally attached at its lower end to the link 63, andto the slider 65, and the upper end of the link 63 is pivotally attachedto the upper end of the link 60 and to the stile 52. The lower end ofthe link 60 is attached to the mid-point of the link 64.

It will thus be observed that the extensible members 46 and 47 arepivotally secured to the end frame members and stiles at a number ofsimilarly located upper pivotal points, while the lower pivotal pointsof the extensible members 46 and 47 are secured to the sliders 65, 66and 67.

Referring to Fig. 9, one ofthe upper pivotal points of the extensiblemembers is here shown in detail, the rivet 56 passing through the stile52, a pair of washers 68, the link 60, an intermediate washer 69, andthe link 63. If desired, the end of the rivet passing through the ,endof the link 63 maybe reduced as at 70, forming a shoulder 71, wherebythe rivet 56 may be firmly riveted to one of the parts, such as the link63 without binding the other part pivotally supported on said rivet.

Referring to Fig. 10, one of the sliders 67 is here shown in detail. Thestiles 50, 51 and 52 are preferably angle iron members, and consequentlythe sliders of which 67 is an example, consist of a flat flange 72adapted to engage one side of the stile 52, a second flange 73 at rightangles to the first mentioned flange 72, a third flange 74 extendingacross the edge of one of the flanges of the angle iron 52, and a fourthflange 75 bent inside the angle iron 52 and adapted to retain the sliderupon the angle iron. The slider 67 is secured to the link 64 and thelink 59 with a washer 76 between them, and by means of a rivet 77,having substantially the same shouldered construction at 78 as has beenpreviously described for the rivets at the upper pivotal points. It willthus be observed that asthe extensible members 46 and 47 are extended,their upper pivotal points are fixedly secured to the stiles and endframe members, while the lower pivotal points are adapted to slide alongthe stilesrby means of the sliders 67. As the upper and lower pivotalpoints of the extensible members are uniformly extended, the sliders 67assure the uniform extension of the stiles in a vertical position,whether one or more than one extensible member is employed.

In order to support the curt-ain'from the guide 21, the end framemembers 48 and 49, and as many intermediate frame members or stiles asare desired, are provided with guides 37, each carrying a pair ofrollers 79 and 80. The guide 37 comprises a strip of metal provided atits upper end with an aperture adapted to receive the stub shaft 81. Therollers 79 and 80 comprise small metal wheels, each having a raceway 82formed in its interior, the raceway is completed by the collar 83 andthe washer 84, carried by the shaft- 81, thereby confining a pluralityof ball bearings 85 within the rollers 79 and 80. The guide 37 isadapted to project downward through the slot 36 while the rollers 79 and80 are supported on the flanges 34 and 35. Where guide members 37 areemployed upon stiles 50 to 52, the guides 37 may be riveted directly tothat flange of the stile which extends parallel to the curtain insidethe angle iron. At the points of attachment of guides 37 to the endframe members 48 and 49, there is preferably provided an angle ironbracket 86, having an attaching flange 87 and a flan e 88 at rightangles thereto. The flanges 8 7 and 88 may be riveted or otherwisesecured to the end frame members, and to the guide 37 respectively, thebrackets 86 thereby providing a means for centrally supporting theguides 37 on the end frame members 48 and 49.

The foldable curtain is also provided with guides adapted to be slidablyreceived in the lower' guide member 22, and for this purpose, the flange89 of each of the stiles 50, 51 and 52 may be cut away as at 90, leavingthe other flange of the stiles projecting below the curtain in the slot39 of the guide 22. It will thus be observed that the curtain is adaptedto be slidably supported between the upper and lower guides, the weightof the curtain being carried by a plurality of rollers 79 and 80carriedby the end frame members and the intermediate stiles, but the guides forthe curtain are disposed flush with the ceiling and floor and present noobstruction whatever, leaving the floor with a smooth surface so thatthe lower guides may be installed anywhere without preventing the use ofthe floor for dancing, etc.

The extensible frame work 25 is preferably provided with a flexible,foldable envelope, which in the majority of cases will cover both sidesof the frame work, but as the invention is capable of use where only oneside of the frame work is covered we do not desire to be limited to acovering for both sides of the frame work. One example of such use mightbewhere a curtain is employed as a foldable sound insulating andabsorbing covering for the walls of a broadcasting studio, By means ofthe curtain, an ordinary room having aplurality of windows and doors maybe quickly transformed into a soundproof chamber, perfectly adapted forthe broadcasting of radio'programs.

The covering for the extensible frame work 25 preferably consists of aplurality of layers of flexible material as follows. The exterior layer91 may consist of an ornamental covering of velour, tapestry, leather,imitation leather, silk, or other ornamental material used forupholstering or draping, the upper and lower edges of the material beingfolded under as at 92, and provided on its back with a plurality ofquickly detachable fasteners 93 located at-the upper corners andintermediate points adjacent the stiles 50, 51 and 52. The outer layer91 is also provided with a similar row of fasteners 93, extending alongthe lateral edges of the outer covering 91 and adapted to cooperate withthe fastener studs 94, carried by the end frame members 48 and 49.

As the fastener studs 94 and detachable fasteners 93 form no part of thepresent invention and may be purchased upon the open market, we shallnot describe them in detail,

but it is desirable that fasteners be selected having thecharacteristics which are disclosed hereinafter.

The fastener studs 94 are preferably of suflicient length to passthrough eyelets or apertures carried by one or more inner layers 95 and96, of flexible material, and the studs are preferably threaded as at 97to be secured in complementary apertures 98 in the frame members andstiles. The fastener 93 is pro vided with an aperture 99 adapted toreceive the head 100 of a fastener stud 94 and contains a spring devicefor engaging beneath said head, the fastener 93 being riveted, clinched,or otherwise secured to the backwardly folded portion 92 of the outsideornamental layer. The backwardly folded edge 92 may be provided with aplurality of lines of stitching to secure it in place.

The inner layer 96 comprises a relatively thick flexible layer of woolor cotton felt, and as this material does not generally possess theproperty of forming a strong sheet, the felt is preferably provided witha backing 95 of a stronger fabric to which it is secured by cement orother convenient means. The layer 96 may also be constructed of fibersof asbestos secured to a backing of imitation leather or'the wool feltmay be impregnated with fireproof minerals, thereby providing an insidelayer which is constructed of fireproof material.

The layers 95 and 96 are provided with a plurality of apertures,preferably protected by eyelets or buttonholes and located to registerwith the detachable fasteners 93 of the outer layer and with thefastener studs 94. It will thus be observed that the inner layers may bepassed over the fastener studs after which the outer layers may besecured by means of the fasteners 93 upon the heads 100 of the studs,thereby securely fastening both layers by confining the inner layerbeneath the outer layer. 1

In order to provide resilient sealing means for the edges of thefoldable curtain, the envelope is preferably bowed outwardly about theend frame members 48 and 49 as at 101, thereby forming a curved flexiblesurface, which is adapted to engage the adjacent walls or sides of anopening, and which may be slightly compressed to completely seal thejoint against transmission of sound. The inner layers 95 and 96 may beprovided with 5 joints at the ends of the curtain or at intermediatepoints where both ends of the layer may be secured to the same fastenerstuds 94, but the outer layer 91 is preferably formed with the ends ofthe fabric arranged as follows. Each of the frame members 48 and 49 isprovided with a relatively short strip 102 of the outer ornamentalfabric, having its ends turned under and stitched as at 103, and

provided with a pair of rows of eyelets located to receive the studs 94on each side of the frame member. The main portions of the ornamentallayer 91 of the flexible envelope may be folded over as at 92, and.provided with detachable fasteners 93, covering the edges of the strip102 and engaging the fastener studs 94; thereby presenting a finishedappearance for the edge of the curtain.

In order that the curtain may be provided with a plurality ofpredetermined lines of flexure without the necessity for rovidingsecuring means along said lines of fl xure, the flexible envelope is ofsuch a size relative to the frame work 25 and the fasteners 93 are sodisposed that the curtain is tensioned from top to bottom between thestuds 94 carried by the to and bottom of the frame work 25. Thus s cienttension exists in the curtain on the lines 104 (Fig. 1), so that thereis a tendency for the curtain to fold at these points. The manufactureof the curtain is also greatly simplified by this constuction as thenumber of fasteners is greatly reduced and the enormous amount of laborinvolved in tacking the curtain to the transverse frame members iseliminated.

In order to assure the outward folding of the envelope at the pointsintermediate the fasteners along the lines 105, the frame work' is alsopreferably provided with tension means at its top and bottom, limitingthe extension of the frame work to substantially the position shown inFig. 6, with the outer layers slightly bowed outwardly at the points105. This tension means may take the form of a pair of strips of strongfabric or tape 106 of slightly less length than the perimeter of thecurtain and secured at the top and bottom of the frame work by having aplurality of eyelets which are passed over the studs 94 of t edetachable fasteners. The tape 106 is placed upon the frame work firstin order that all of the layers may fold outward outside of the tape, asshown in Fig. 6.

The curtain constructed according to the present invention need not bepermanently secured to either of the walls 23 or 24, nor to the sides ofthe door opening where the curtain is used as a closure for a dooropening. As both ends of the curtain are finished, the curtain may befolded either to the left or right in Fig. 1, and it is preferablyprovided with latching means, both for securing the curtain in foldedposition at either side of Fig. 1 or in extended position as shown.

This latching means is identical at each end of the curtain andconsequently a description of one of the devices will suflice. The latchmay consist of a rod 107 slidably supported by one of the end framemembers 48 by means of a pair of right angle brackets 108, each havingan aperture 109 for receiving the rod 7 be riveted or otherwise securedto the end frame member 48 and the rod may be provided with a helicalspring 110 tensioned between the upper bracket 108 and a collar 111secured by a pin 112 upon the rod 107, the spring 110 biases the rod 107into latchmg position. v

Each latching bar 107 is also provided w th means for actuating thelatching bar which may consist of the following mechanism. The end framemember 48 may be provided with a substantially U-shaped sheet metalbracket 113, secured at its yoke to the frame member 48 by a pluralityof rivets 114. The U-shaped bracket 113 is provided with a pair ofregistering apertures 115 of suflicient s1ze to receive the non-circularends 116 of the shafts 117 carried by handles 118. The shafts 117 arerotatably supported by the ornamental cover plates 119, the shaft beingretained in the cover plate by means of transverse pins 120, and theplates being secured to the end frame member 48 by a plurality of screwbolts 121. It will thus be observed that although the shafts 117 areseparate and provided with the position shown in Fig. 4 by means of thepins 120, which rotate between the cover plates 119.

The shafts 117v support, by means of their non-circular ends 116, acam-shaped member 123 adapted to be received between the legs of theU-shaped bracket 113, and having an aperture complementary to thenon-circular ends 116 of the shafts. The cam-shaped member 123 isprovided with a pair of projecting flanges 124, having elongatedapertures 125 adapted to receive a pin 126 carried by the rod 107, andthe rod 107 is adapted to be lifted by rotating the handle 118.

In order that the curtain may be unlatched and folded by single motion,the handle118 is preferably so constructed that it extends downward whenthe parts are in the position of Figs. 1 and 2, and it will thus beobserved that b pulling upon the handle 118, the camshape member 123will be rotated in a counterclockwise direction leaving the pin 126 androd 107 so as to unlatch the rod 107 from the aperture 44. The mechanismmay be provided with a stop such as the pin 127 carried by the rod 107below one of the brackets 108, and a further pull upon the handle 118will cause the pin 127 to engage the bracket 108, preventin furthermovement of the latching bar 107, a ter which the lateral pull upon thehandle 118 will cause thecurtain to be folded.

The curtain and lower guide is provided with a similar structure at theopposite end so that the latching devices are adapted to maintain thecurtain in extended relation, or the curtain may be folded until the twolatching devices are engaged in recesses 44 and 45 for securing thecurtain in folded position.

It will thus be observed that we have ina joint at 122, they areretained in vented a foldable curtain provided with a sound insulatinand sound. absorbing layer, which may be eproofed and with an ornamentalexterior layer secured in place by means of concealed detachablefasteners, so that the exterior layer may be removed at any time inorder to change the scheme of decoration.

In some of the more simple embodiments of our invention, the soundprooflayer of felt or asbestos may be omitted, and a layer of decorativefabric may be secured directly to the framework. This type of curtain isof particular importance for use in apartments or the like.

' Our'curtain is also provided with a $901.11? ing means, forming aplurality of lines of tension, along which the curtains will naturallyfold, and it is also provided with means for assuring the outwardfolding ofintermediate portions of the curtain between said lines oftension.

Our curtain may be folded and secured at either side of an opening orroom, and'the lower guide is adapted to prevent pinching of the curtaindue to swelling of the flooring. The curtain may also be unlatched andfold ed with a small amount of effort and it may be folded in anextremely small space.

While we have illustrated a preferred embodiment of our invention, manymodifications may be made without departing from the spirit of theinvention, and we do not wish to be limited to the precise details ofconstruction set forth, but desire to avail ourselves of all changeswithin the scope of the appended claims. 1

Having thus described our invention, what we claim is new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

1. In a foldable (furtain, the combination of an extensible s'pportingmeans with a foldable flexible layer carried by one side of saidframework, said flexible layer being attached to said supporting meansat two spaced points and tensioned between said points to cause saidlayer to fold along a line between said points.

2. In a foldable curtain, the combination of an extensible supportingmeans having a transverse end frame member, with a flex ible coveringsecured to said frame member, said flexible covering being bowed outbeyond said frame member to effect flexible sealing contact with anadjacent member.

3. In a foldable curtain, the combination of an extensible frameworkwith a foldable flexible covering for said. framework, and tension meansconnected between successive movable parts of said extensible frameworkto limit the extension thereof to give said covering a predeterminedfolding tendency when in extended position, said flexible coveringhaving a plurality of spaced points of support on said framework andbeingtensioned between certain of said points to provide a predeterminedlineof fiexure between said latter points.

' 5. In a foldable curtain, the combination of an extensible frameworkwith a layer of sound insulating material carried by said framework anda layer of ornamental covering detachably carried by said framework oversaid sound insulating material, said ornamental material being spacedfrom said sound insulating material and separately removable from saidframework.

6. In a foldable curtain, the combination of a pair of extensiblemembers with a plurality of stiles carried thereby, and a foldableflexible covering secured to the ends of said stiles and tensionedbetween the points of attachment to form predetermined lines of flexure.

7. In a foldable curtain, the combination of a pair of extensiblemembers with a plurality of stiles carried thereby, a foldable flexiblecovering secured to the ends of said stiles and tensioned between thepoints of attachment to form predetermined lines of flexure, and aplurality of detachable fasteners carried by the inside of said curtainfor securing the same to said stiles.

8. In a foldable curtain, the combination of a pair of extensiblemembers with a plurality of stiles carried thereby, a foldable flexiblecovering secured to the ends of said stiles and tensioned between thepoints of attachment to form predetermined lines of flexure, a pluralityof detachable fasteners carried by the inside of said curtain forsecuring the same to said stiles, anda layer of sound insulatingmaterial carried between said covering and said stiles.

9. In a foldable curtain, the combination of a pair of extensiblemembers with a plurality of stiles carried thereby, a foldable flexiblecovering secured to the ends of said stiles and tensioned between thepoints of attachment to form predetermined lines of flexure, a pluralityof detachable fasteners carried by the inside of said curtain forsecuring the same to said stiles, and a layer of sound insulatingmaterial carried between said covering and said stiles, said coveringbeing bowed out beyond the end stiles of said curtain to effectresilient sealing contact with adjacent parts.

10. In a foldable curtain, the combination of a pair of extensiblemembers with a plurality of stiles carried thereby, a foldable flexiblecovering secured to the ends of said stiles and tensioned between thepoints of attachment to form predetermined lines of flexure, a pluralityof detachable fasteners carried by the inside of said curtain forsecuring the same to said stiles, a layer of sound insulating materialcarried between said covering and said stiles, said covering being bowedout beyond the end stiles of said ourtain to effect resilient sealingcontact with adjacent parts, uides for sa1d curtain, and latching meansfor securing each end of said curtain.

11. In a foldable curtain, the combination of an extensible supportingmeans with a foldable flexible layer covering said extensible supportingmeans, said flexible layer being attached to said supporting means at aplurality of spaced points and tensioned etwe'en said points to causesaid layer to fold along lines between said oints.

12. Ina foldable curtain, the combination of an extensible frameworkwith a foldable flexible covering for said framework, adapted to becarried by said framework to be extended and folded thereby, saidcovering comprising a thin outer covering layer of decorative material,and a relatively thicker and stiffer layer of material between saidouter layer and said framework, said thick layer being adapted todetermine the shape of fold of said outer layer, and one of said layersbeing tensioned along the line of fold.

13. In a foldable curtain, the combination of an extensible frameworkwith a foldable flexible layer covering one side of said framework, saidflexible layer being attached to said extensible framework at aplurality of spaced points and tensioned between said points to causesaid layer to fold along lines of tension between said points, andsecuring means adapted to sustain tension along the line of fold, andbeing quickly detachable by application of force in a differentdirection. 14. In a foldable curtain, the combination of an extensibleframework, with a foldable flexible layer covering said framework, saidlayer extending along both sides of said framework, and about one endthereof, and being bowed outward beyond the end of said framework, andsaid flexible layer being secured to said framework adjacent the outerextensible members of said framework and tensioned between the pointsof. securement to effect folding at predetermined points. 15. In anextensible curtain, the combination of a pair of side frame members ofpredetermined length, with a pair of extensible frame members, saidextensible frame members having their ends secured to said side framemembers, forming an extensible framework having a substantiallypolygonal outline, with a flexible covering for the side of saidframework, and adapted to cover the same and to be folded or extendedthereby, said flexible covering being secured to said framework at amultiplicity of spaced points, and said covering being tensioned betweenrespective points of securement transversely to the extensible membersfrom points adjacent one extensible frame member to correspondingopposite points adjacent the other extensible frame member to form linesof fold corresponding to the lines of tension in said flexible covering.

16. In an extensible curtain, the combination of a pair of side framemembers of predetermined length, with a pair of extensible framemembers, said extensible frame members having their ends secured to saidside frame members,forming an extensible framework having asubstantially polygonal outline, said extensible members each comprisinga plurality of series of links, the links of each series being pivotedend to end to form the series, and the corresponding links of twodifferent series being pivoted to each other to cause a substantiallyuniform extension of said extensible members, with a flexible coveringfor the side of said framework, said flexible covering being secured tosaid framework at a multiplicity of spaced points adjacent the bordersof said flexible covering, and said covering being tensioned betweensaid spaced points to form lines of fold corresponding to the lines oftension in said covering.

17. In an extensible curtain, the combination of a pair of side framemembers of predetermined length, with a pair of extensible framemembers, said extensible frame members having their ends secured to saidside frame members, forming an extensible framework having asubstantially polygonal outline, said extensible members each comprisina plurality of series of links, the links of eac series being pivotedend to end to form the series, and the corresponding links of twodifferent series being pivoted to each other to cause a substantiallyuniform extension of said extensible members, with a flexible coveringfor the side of said framework, said flexible covering being secured tosaid frame work at a multiplicity of spaced points adjacent the bordersof said flexible covering, and said covering being tensioned betweensaid spaced points to form lines of fold corresponding to the lines oftension in said covering, the points of attachment of said flexiblecovering to said framework and the lines of fold formed by said tensionbeing located in substantial alignment with corresponding pivots of saidextensible members, whereby uniform extension or folding of theframework produces a like extension or folding of the covering.

18. In a foldable curtain, the combination of an extensible frameworkcomprising end stiles and a pair of extensible linkages. connecting saidend stiles to form a rectangular frame, with a flexible coveringextending

